In today’s competitive job market, building and nurturing a professional network is crucial to career success. Several studies repeatedly show that a majority of positions are filled through referral, internal hiring, and networking within the hidden job market, underscoring the impact of personal connections on professional opportunities.
Among the many online tools available, LinkedIn remains the leading professional networking platform for those seeking to find new opportunities, build meaningful connections, and expand their career.
If you are still unsure about having a LinkedIn profile, this blog will share why having an active LinkedIn can be beneficial for your professional growth.
Showcases Your Professional Brand
LinkedIn allows you to craft a personal brand by showcasing your expertise, qualifications, achievements, and career goals through your profile, posts, articles, and activity. Employers often research candidates online before making hiring decisions, and a well-maintained, consistent LinkedIn presence can provide insight into who you are as a professional, as well as build credibility and trust.
Networking Online
Career platforms, LinkedIn in particular, provide expansive networks of professionals from diverse industries across the world. This includes potential mentors, colleagues, clients, and employers! By connecting with like-minded individuals, or joining relevant groups and associations, you can initiate and build valuable relationships for your career. LinkedIn also facilitates ongoing connection with these networks by enabling you to see achievements and milestones, to “like” and “comment.”
Networking In-Person
Though LinkedIn is an online platform, it can also serve as a useful tool when networking in-person. In today’s digital world, sharing your LinkedIn profile can be a convenient and efficient way to connect in a way that is similar to handing out physical business cards.
Job Opportunities
There are many ways to find job opportunities on LinkedIn. Not only does LinkedIn provide several job postings as one of their features, many organizations actually post job openings exclusively on LinkedIn, and may use LinkedIn to actively search for potential candidates. Additionally, many professionals in the field often share job postings open in their place of work on their personal LinkedIn feeds. By maintaining an updated profile and building new connections in the industry, and engaging with your network, you can increase your visibility to potential employers.
Staying Informed on Industry Trends & Ideas
LinkedIn is also a platform that can serve as a centre for knowledge-sharing. By staying connected with industry influencers and relevant groups and associations, and engaging with industry-related content through discussions, articles, posts, you can stay informed on new trends and ideas. Additionally, by staying updated on industry-related events through conferences, workshops, and webinars, you can contribute to your continuous professional growth.
Demonstrating Digital Literacy
As more industries become reliant on technology and digital tools, having a well-maintained LinkedIn can also showcase your digital literacy and ability to adapt to new digital landscapes to potential employers.
In the ever-evolving field of English Language Training (ELT) where communication and connection are already incredibly vital, LinkedIn can further facilitate this as a platform where you can:
- Share your unique qualifications to showcase your professional narrative.
- Spotlight the progress, moments, methods, and passions of your ELT journey.
- Connect with ELT professionals of diverse occupations and institutions.
- Stay updated on various domestic and international opportunities.
- Engage with articles, discussions, events, and webinars to enrich your knowledge and continuously grow.
Visit the TESL Career Centre for essential resources designed to help you navigate the English language education employment landscape.
The Career Connections: 2023 Career Fair, and a Career Booster forum will take place as part of the 2023 TESL Ontario Annual Virtual Conference this November. Please see the links for more information and updates on these events.
Kiara Kim is the Resource Development Assistant at TESL Ontario for summer 2023. She is a recent graduate from the University of Toronto Mississauga with an HBSc in Anthropology. Throughout her undergrad, she worked actively within university programming, and various community research projects in fields of anthropology of health, historical archaeology, and English language education. She is looking forward to furthering her intersecting interests in research and education.
